variants
also ascetical
as in monastic
formal
relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure
He committed to having an ascetic existence during his rehab. an ascetic diet of rice and beans
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Dissimilar Words
as in prude
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ascetic
Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025
But Pascal, for all the twinkle in his eye, often plays relatively sexless characters — from the fatherly energy of The Last of Us to the ascetic qualities of The Mandalorian.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 June 2025
Martin lived an ascetic and solitary life, and often denounced overly cerebral art.
—Melissa Febos, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025
And yet when people need a portal into or proxy for spiritual awakening, Alice Coltrane’s music often becomes integral, a newfound household name, because her staggered textures are gracious enough to accommodate both the ascetic and the philistine.
—Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascetic
Noun
Quarantine by Jim Crace This 1997 novel follows Jesus during his 40-day ascetic retreat to a desert cave.
—Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025
But Pascal, for all the twinkle in his eye, often plays relatively sexless characters — from the fatherly energy of The Last of Us to the ascetic qualities of The Mandalorian.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 June 2025
Martin lived an ascetic and solitary life, and often denounced overly cerebral art.
—Melissa Febos, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025
And yet when people need a portal into or proxy for spiritual awakening, Alice Coltrane’s music often becomes integral, a newfound household name, because her staggered textures are gracious enough to accommodate both the ascetic and the philistine.
—Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ascetic
Adjective
-
With a frill-less monastic setting, this institution has several London locations, but Smithfield is the OG, serving signature dishes like roasted bone marrow and oven-hot madeleines available by the dozen and half dozen.—
Nicole Trilivas,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The story of a woman’s retreat into monastic life is familiar; somewhat less familiar is Wood’s use of the modular form.—
Nathaniel Moore
September 10,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Tate Mcrae embraces the sheer trend The VMAs red carpet is no place for prudes.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Give the Original ‘Twister’ a Spin Barbara Peeters is no prude.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
19 July 2024
Adjective
-
However, the inaugural festival has quickly gained controversy for its association with Saudi Arabia and the country's authoritarian regime.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Next, imagine that those same authoritarian-minded people were recruited by and answer to a president who daily calls for investigations, fines, firings, lawsuits, or worse against any American individual or organization that opposes his policies.—
Patrick Eddington,
Oc Register,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There’s often some kind of hitch, but still, most agents are straight arrows who play by the book.—
LEW SICHELMAN,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Purdy was such a straight arrow as a kid, his worst transgressions were playing doorbell ditch, Patchett said.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
The Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2024
Adjective
-
Another essay in the collection, written by Sarah Maitland, is more exacting.—
Anna Bruno
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The watch is offered in exceptional condition, preserved in line with the most exacting standards of connoisseurship, the auction house said.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The players have responded to that unrelenting positivity in kind.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
-
Through the unrelenting summer, Japan’s hospitals have received waves of elderly patients, including some who collapsed at home, or on the street under the scorching sun.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While the police union is adamant the city needs to provide them raises, some community advocates have spoken out, arguing the police department already takes up a significant amount of the city's budget.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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And in a now-viral TikTok, Stunna was adamant about denying last-minute plus-ones to his wedding.—
Nathan Vinson,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The festival would know that better than most, juxtaposing classical music—and its expectation of monkish silence—with the heart of Chicago’s downtown, and the human mix therein.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Obama has retreated into monkish silence, broken only for special occasions such as celebrity deaths and the recording of Bruce Springsteen podcasts.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
17 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ascetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ascetic. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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